Niall Ó Brolcháin (Green Party)

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Mary Alexandra White. Members of the Opposition are to be congratulated on the fantastic contortions they are doing on the Bill. We have heard, for instance, that the legislation has been rushed. Extensive work and consultation has taken place on the Bill for the past year and a half and the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food was consistently consulted on it. Considerable effort has been made in producing this legislation. It is, for example, extraordinary and unprecedented for the House to have three sessions for a Second Stage debate, as is the case with this Bill.

There is a magnificent level of interest in the Bill on this side, although it is a pity that some on the Government side have spoken against it and some on the Opposition side have spoken in favour of it. That, however, is the nature of politics.

Some of the Senators opposite managed another wonderful contortion when they suggested a consensus is required on this legislation similar to that achieved among members of the Joint Committee on Climate Change and Energy Security when they produced a climate change Bill. They should note that the targets set by the joint committee were higher than those set in the Bill before us.